"Fixed" vs "Cleaned" vs "empty" hoods is not even clear (to me!). The info on all this is from MATY - where I dare not go with my whinings, for fear of a caning.

It's pretty simple. Empty means that there are no sims. Clean means that the playable sims still exist, but most of the townies have been removed; in this case, the creator decides which townies to keep. Fixed means that problems with the shipped neighborhoods have been fixed; again, it's up to the creator which problems are fixed.

I've made many custom neighbourhoods, and have played Pleasantview and Strangetown many times. My problem is that I make too many families in the beginning. If I'm playing a pre made hood, I take into consideration how many pre made families there are. I've only heard recently that any Sims in the Family Bin cannot be deleted, or it corruputs your game- I only thought that pertained to those in the Family Bin and ties already in the neighbourhood. So, I had to decide who to play and who to not play, and then kill them off. Then I have townies that I like to play, so I then make Sims for them. And lastly I add my own CAS Sims, that usually consists a couple and some kids.Then add my addiction to "Try for Baby", and my neighbourhood families add up very quickly!

I wish I had the restraint that other players do, when it comes to starting a neighbourhood. Maybe I should try a Legacy, or do the alphabet challenge, either one would either help, or encourage my addiction!

I've also been learning about "clean" neighbourhoods, so I don't know what's going to happen with Pleasantview?

I'm curious though, if I made a custom hood, with the game's templates, are they considered clean?

Also, I build everything: houses, community lots, and hotels. I'm very particular on the way I want things designed. They may not be beautiful, but my Sims can at least move around without bumping into each other!

Where does one get empty templates? Is that something one can do themselves or is the only way to download them from somewhere?

Do they have empty templates for the subhoods like downtown or university too?

@Gcgb53191
You have to download the clean/empty templates: http://www.moreawesomethanyou.com/s...pic,4306.0.html
This one also can be handy: http://www.moreawesomethanyou.com/s...pic,5861.0.html

The main source for empty templates used to be the relevant thread over at MATY. I don't know if anyone else has done a complete set.

TychoH linked to the relevant thread, although I'm not sure if they're still up there (I downloaded them almost four years ago).

You could make them yourself if you're careful (it basically involves a ton of work deleting sims using Theo's Deleter [again, not sure if still available] and cleaning up the various dangling memories, SWAFs, etc. to make sure there's no reference to anything at all), and I have heard of people leaving the N001 template (which is what the game pulls the townies/NPCs from) completely empty with no issues. You don't need empty templates for sub-hoods or the uni 'hoods unless you want to use empty/cleaned/fixed versions of those templates (so if you had a main 'hood and wanted to add an empty shopping district, you'd be fine; if you wanted to add in Bluewater Village with all the lots but no sims, you'd need a clean template). Downtown, again, if you're creating an empty one, you don't need them; if you want to use the default one but don't want the sims, you'll need an empty template.

There are some EPs which load in 'stealth' hoods, which are the sims that end up in the sim bin of every single 'hood. Again, if you don't want those you'll need clean templates, but they will also remove any pre-made townies (so removing the Pets template to avoid the Roseland family turning up will also remove the pre-made strays and the adoption pool; removing the BV template to get rid of the Travellers will leave no locals or tourists for the vacation spots; removing the AL template will get rid of any apartment townies, but their function can be changed to regular townies with a couple of mods).

Empty templates if you don't want the sims in the sim bin.

Thanks I just downloaded everything in case my neighborhood goes bazerk anytime soon

I only have one neighbourhood that I play - Crystal Springs - and I love it so much that I've never been able to get into another one. I used the Crystal Springs template, and the founder was named Crystal Springs too. I randomly generated families to start with, and I just play them in rotation and see where it takes me. But I get bored occasionally, if there are too many households or if I've let a generation have too many kids. So then I'll kill everyone except a few children who I age up, and bulldoze most of the lots. I say that some big natural disaster has happened and the kids were evacuated elsewhere, and have returned years later. They become the founders of the new Crystal Springs.
The one thing I leave standing is the Palace, where the royal Springs family live. This gives the neighbourhood a little continuity and I like to keep the gravestone of the original founder in the grounds of the palace.
One of the reasons I like this system is because otherwise I get the same old townies whenever I start a new neighbourhood. Randy London is doing well and is a big part of my neighbourhood. I'd hate to create a new one and have the teen version of him running around again.

When I started again with The Sims 2 I played in a Maxis premade neighborhood. I think it was Veronaville.
But I didn't like there were already so much houses there and everything. So I started 'my own hood' and called it Csonka Canon.
It is just a month (something like that) old. I started with 4 families and the intention of putting in more. Now there are 8 families. I had to start from scratch but I like that.
Like somebody else said. Make it from a hamlet in something thriving. I've never downloaded clean templates or hoods others made. It is still a Maxis hood. I also never download houses.
I build my own houses. Good practise to get better at that.
Also I am not so fond of townies but I didn't get rid of them. I just tolerate them passing by, being at places my Sims will go or coming with one of my Sims from work. They always get send away immediately. I don't have any intention of mix genetics with them.
There is not really a pre made story in my head what my Sims are going to have in their lifes. I go as I play.
For now the main purpose is to get the hood more populated so breed my Simmies, breed.

Im starting a new neighborhood from scratch. Its going to take a little time before I get it the way I want it. I prefer small neighborhoods, so it can be quite challenging. there are some awesome small lots, which I use often. Im also building my own lots, taking ideas from the fabulous "how to" threads. Im sure I'll get there with patience.

I'm doing the same thing! I like small neighborhoods too (Largest lot is a 3x3 town square.) I don't think I'm building my own lots, though. Just a friendly reminder, it's not a good idea to reply to old threads (this one is about 4-5 years old.) It doesn't bother me but people get really mad about it.

I wonder why they get mad about it? I started reading this thread without noticing the first date, and was gladdened to see Mootilda alive again. There are still good ideas embedded in old threads, so why should they be lost?

Because site rules say please don't do it:

http://www.modthesims.info/showthre...stingguidelines
12. Do Not Bump Threads/No Threadcromancy: Do not post to an old thread just to bump it up to the top of the forum if you have nothing new to add, or to get it more visible (especially if it's your thread!) Don't resurrect old threads unless your comments are relevant and would be seen as a important addition to a thread. Continuing on a conversation dropped months ago is not a good idea - check dates

I think they should add an exception that says bumping old threads with Mootilda in them is ok. :lovestruc

Heh - poor old Moo. She was great wasn't she?

The key is If you have something that most people will want to know, some real information, a ground breaking new mod pertaining to what the old thread was talking about, then feel free.

Making a new hood? Not two year bump post worthy, especially not when there are new threads on building hoods right on the main page here.